North Korean Radio (in Korean): "It will contribute to the peaceful use of outer space"

Our scientists and technicians have succeeded in launching the first artificial satellite aboard a multi-stage rocket into orbit.

The rocket was launched in the direction of 86 degrees at a launching station in Musudan-yi, Hwadae County, North Hamgyong Province at 1207, August 31, chuche 87 (1998) and correctly put the satellite into orbit at 12 hours 11 minutes 53 seconds in four minutes 53 seconds.

The rocket is of three stages:

• The first stage was separated from the rocket 95 seconds after the launch and fell on the open waters of the East Sea of Korea [Sea of Japan] 253 km off the launching station, that is 40 degrees 51 minutes north latitude 139 degrees 40 minutes east longitude.

• The second stage opened the capsule in 144 seconds, separated itself from the rocket in 266 seconds and fell on the open waters of the Pacific 1,646 km off from the launching station, that is 40 degrees 13 minutes north latitude 149 degrees 07 minutes east longitude.

• The third stage put the satellite into orbit 27 seconds after the separation of the second stage.

The satellite is running along the oval orbit 218.82 km in the nearest distance from the earth and 6,978.2 km in the farthest distance. Its period is 165 minutes 6 seconds.

The satellite is equipped with necessary sounding instruments. It will contribute to promoting scientific research for peaceful use of outer space.

It is also instrumental in confirming the calculation basis for the launch of practical satellites in the future.

The satellite is now transmitting the melody of the immortal revolutionary hymns "song of General Kim Il-sung" and "song of General Kim Chong-il" and the morse signals "chuche Korea" in 27 MHz.

The rocket and satellite which our scientists and technicians correctly put into orbit at one launch are a fruition of our wisdom and technology 100 per cent.

The successful launch of the first artificial satellite in the DPRK greatly encourages the Korean people in the efforts to build a powerful socialist state under the wise leadership of the great leader Kim Chong-il.